Home
by Lady Maeror
Summary: Massive spoilers for Book 10. A conversation between Cassie and Horace before the departure from Nihon-Ja. Real summary inside. No flames.


_Summary:_

"His perspectives had changed and, looking at her, he finally realised what he truly wanted." Horace knows he doesn't want to leave. But a quiet visit from Cassie allows him to remember where his loyalty lies. Basically filling in the night before they leave Nihon-Ja.

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**Author's Note:**

Honestly, I can't believe Flanagan decided to just neglect their whole relationship and just go, "oh yeah they're engaged." WUT? They're my favourite pairing and you leave it out? :'(

This is like my _Will's Confession_, basically my interpretation of a huge hole Flanagan left in his story. I don't care who copies the idea, I didn't care with my Will/Alyss oneshot, but no flaming please :)

If you're reading this, you obviously don't care about spoilers. So here's what I've bottled up for the past few days:

HORACE AND CASSIE ARE FINALLY CANNON! :D:D

Anyway this basically assumes they're already in a relationship, which I now see was Horace hinting from Book 6. I just thought it was _his_ feelings, but not actually a courtship. Guess I was wrong.

I don't own RA.

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**Home**

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He heard a quiet shuffling as Cassie made her way through the pitched canvas tent.

Ran-Koshi was a fortress, but an ancient, unrepaired one and the Araluens had preferred to set up camp once the battle was over.

The Princess was, once again sharing a room with Alyss, but thankfully they had worked out their differences and the knuckle-hitting and jealous competitive nature had subsided.

Horace was sharing with Selethen, while Halt and Will shared the other. At present, the Arridi was away talking to some of the Kikori people.

The knight suspected why Cassie was there and felt a pang of guilt. She was here to try and remind him where he was expected to be, since he hadn't shown too much loyalty to Araluen in the past few weeks.

Cassie stepped over the cache of weapons, between sabre, sword and _katana_, and quietly settled beside Horace, slipping an arm around his waist and resting her head against his shoulder.

"I'm okay." He told her, reaching out with one hand to place his hand over hers.

She nodded; he could feel it even through the _kimono_ he wore.

"I'm sorry you have to leave here, Horace." She said, almost apologetically. "But you're needed back home."

_Home._

That was an interesting notion, he thought.

Of course Araluen was his home.

But then again, Nihon-Ja had been for months, too.

He even had a father figure here. Horace shook his head slightly and frowned, he refused to cry before he had even said farewell to his friend, the Emperor.

If only this small, peaceful island-country could be close to Araluen, like Hibernia or even Gallica. But it wasn't, it was weeks away at best.

"I don't want to go." He admitted quietly.

He felt her hand twist to squeeze his own as a means for comfort.

"I know."

Horace turned his head and met her gaze, he could see fear pooling in her depths of green.

They really hadn't been together for a while, he realised. When he finally saw her again, they were caught up in a war and she set out to do some good, ultimately helping them overcome Arisaka's force.

"I missed you." He told her, smiling warmly.

Fearing she might cry, Cassie hugged him tightly. "I hadn't heard from you in months and then find out you were in danger." She accused.

Horace laughed. "I know, I know. I'm sorry, but I didn't really get a choice. I'm glad you all came though, I couldn't have done this without Halt's tactics and advice."

She pulled away to fix him with a gaze that made him swallow nervously. She had that reprimanding look in her eyes. "What if you had died here?"

He turned away, feeling guilty. "I know."

"It's not fair, if George hadn't sent that urgent message, we wouldn't have come. And then you probably would have lost." She stated.

Horace glanced up and saw the anger mingled with distress. He knew he had worried her. "I had to do what's right for Nihon-Ja."

She laughed, but the sound had no emotion behind it. Cassie grasped his face with her hands. "I understand that, truly. But I don't know what I would have done if you had died."

He reached up to brush a hand through her hair.

"It's all your fault you left me."

He laughed. "If I recall, it was your dad, actually. I am part of a Task group, remember? I do have other duties."

Both knew she was trying to be funny to mask the raw emotion she felt about his departure.

"You'll come home with us tomorrow, won't you?" Cassie asked, her voice cracking slightly.

"Yes, I've been here long enough, I think." Horace answered, smiling when she beamed, all the uncertainty gone from her face.

His expression faltered and he glanced away, idly staring at the dull canvas enclosing the space around them.

"You'll be given a hero's welcome, again." She told him cheerfully.

He nodded absently and the gesture didn't go unnoticed by Cassie.

She knew he was indifferent to the respect and admiration people paid him.

"I love you." She announced unexpectantly.

Horace turned back and smiled. "Love you too." He narrowed his eyes thoughtfully and grasped her hand. "I've been thinking."

"Always a dangerous past-time." She quoted wisely, something she picked up from Halt.

He grinned. "Apparently so. Look, I seem to get myself into bad situations, namely warring kingdoms."

Horace shifted so he could tug her into his side, slinging an arm around her waist. "I get bored, Cassie. "You're right about how I disappeared, I didn't mean to, but since the King has put me in the group for overseas investigations, it's bound to happen again."

"You could always retire from it and come back to Araluen." She suggested.

"Years ago, that would have been enough for me, but too much has happened for me to keep doing that forever." He sighed. "I've navigated sieges and wars and been through tough diplomatic situations, it's a lot different to drill instructions each day. Becoming a Battlemaster would be great, but I love just being a Swordsmaster and travelling with Will and Halt." He confessed.

"We'll be spending even less time together." She observed sadly.

Horace grasped her arms and turned her so they faced each other.

He had a sparkle in his blue eyes that made her blink at his sudden enthusiasm. "I have an idea, I mean it might sound stupid, but it's all I can think about."

She nodded, doubtful that he could solve their situation. As long as her father wanted him to go around the world helping, she didn't have much of a choice.

"Marry me Cassie." He declared.

Taken aback, she laughed. "What, _that's_ your idea?"

Brushing aside her reaction he nodded solemnly. "Sorta, but I do want to marry you, honestly."

"You're really asking me?"

He smiled, but wasn't able to hide the red colour that rushed to his face. "Yeah, I am."

She studied his face for a few more seconds, completely unaware of the stress she was putting him through.

Coming to the conclusion that he _was_ serious, she squealed and threw her arms around him.

"Can I take that as a yes?" Horace managed to gasp out through her bone-crushing hug.

She nodded gleefully and reached down to kiss him firmly on the mouth.

"Wait, you haven't heard the rest of my idea." He told her, as he tried to pull her away.

"I don't really care." She answered with a laugh and kissed him again.

"I don't think you're taking this seriously." He replied, grasping her arms and forcing her away from his face, despite how much he wanted to let her stay there.

"Ok, I'm listening." Cassie folded her arms and raised her eyebrow expectantly.

Refusing to let go of her arms, lest she tackle him again, he breathed a sigh of relief. "_When_ we get married," he couldn't help but acknowledge the feeling of happiness that fluttered inside when he said that, "it will give me a reason to be at Castle Araluen."

Frowning, she sat back. "You mean I'm not reason enough to keep you there now?"

Laughing at her accusation, he pulled her forward again. "You are, but I won't be sent away as often if we're married."

She nodded, impressed with his logic. "When did you become so smart?" She teased gently and he shrugged. "Crowley and dad will find you a much different person when we go back home."

Horace winced and the grip on her arms lessened considerably.

"Horace?"

"I hadn't thought of your dad." He admitted quietly.

Cassie laughed and swatted him affectionately. "Silly, like he's going to care."

"He might've sent me here to spend time away from you."

The thought had occurred to her as well.

"And has that changed your feelings for me?"

He shook his head.

"Then when he sees that, and the fact that you helped a foreign Emperor reclaim his throne, I'm sure he'll approve." She told him in a manner-of-fact tone.

Despite his doubt, Horace reasoned that both Cassie and Alyss had told him as much and decided to trust them.

"Alright, I believe you." He finally admitted.

Grinning, she reached up to kiss him gently, lingering for a few seconds.

"You'll really miss this country, won't you?" She asked when they broke apart.

He saw no point to lie to her and nodded. "And the people." He added softly.

"I know, that's what I've been feeling for the last few months."

Horace's eyes were wide with disbelief. "Surely not? You haven't been gone that long."

Cassie laughed at his conclusion and settled herself into his arms, sighing with delight. "No silly, I missed _you._"

They sat together in comfortable silence, with Cassie's eyes drooping from all the day's activities catching up to them. Horace made no move to help her return to her tent; instead he glanced around and spotted the _katana_ lying on the floor.

He would never need it with his new sword, but it was a gift from the Senshi and he knew he would always treasure it, even if he wouldn't fight with the brilliantly crafted sword.

Cassie shifted, blinking in surprise. "I almost fell asleep." She noted, sitting up and trying to shake away the tired feeling that clung to her.

Horace let her go and knelt, resisting the urge to stretch. He wouldn't have enough room.

"Alyss wanted me to help wash the dye out of her hair." She explained, brushing off dust from her _kimono_. She would change back into Araluen-styled clothes for the trip, but for now she and the rest of their group had accepted Shigeru's offering.

As she made to leave, Horace grasped her hand and bit his lip. She turned a questioning glance to him and he shrugged slightly.

"Do we have to tell them?"

By 'them', he meant Halt and the others.

"Not now, but tomorrow." She answered.

Seeing the panicked look in his gaze, she smiled. "You'll tell Shigeru-dono won't you?"

He nodded reluctantly.

"Then we can tell our friends." She said firmly and he realised he had already lost the fight before it began.

He let her hand go and she smiled once more before leaving.

He knew it would always be his second-home, and that Shigeru was the father he never had. But, for a long time, Horace had been happy as long as he was around those he loved.

And Cassie was the person he loved the most.

She had gone halfway around the world for him and he would eagerly do the same for her.

Up until that point, he had been content and resigned to leaving Nihon-Ja.

Unfortunately now, faced with the prospect of telling Will and Halt he was engaged, he wasn't so enthusiastic.

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**A/N:**

Oh don't mind if my writing terminology is different to the text, I read manga all the time and Flanagan's honorifics were kinda bad :3

- Love Mae.


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